Jeff Williams is “very close” to making a comeback for Bath Rugby after knee surgery.

The Sevens convert has been out since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) last spring.

He has been training for several weeks at Farleigh House and could return to action in the Anglo-Welsh Cup fortnight, which starts with Newcastle Falcons at the Rec on Saturday.

Stuart Hooper, who will be in charge of the squad with academy manager Andy Rock, said: “Jeff’s very close to coming back.

"He's been great. He obviously had a nasty injury but he’s worked through it and every day, when he’s worked through it, he’s also developed the guys around him and had a really positive influence on the squad.”

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Shaun Knight is back fit and available for the first time since suffering a neck injury last August.

The timing couldn’t be better as Henry Thomas has been called up by England, Anthony Perenise is still recovering from a calf/Achilles problem, Max Lahiff pulled a calf in the warm-up against Benetton Rugby in Treviso and Kane Palma-Newport is out for the season; having ruptured one of his Achilles’ tendons.

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Sam Nixon, who made his European debut off the bench in Italy is fit, raring to go and likely to start in the number-three shirt against the Falcons. Lahiff’s injury is not thought to be serious but he won’t be involved this weekend.

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Hooper said: “Miles has played a couple of fantastic games up at the university and been working really hard in training, so he puts himself in contention for being involved.

“He’s a local lad who went to Beechen Cliff and he’s a really tough, uncompromising guy.”

Nathan Catt (back), Charlie Ewels (hamstring), Rhys Priestland (hamstring), Francois Louw (knee), Taulupe Faletau (knee), Tom Homer (pec) and Jack Walker (foot) are all still unavailable, as are the six players in the England squad for the Six Nations.